Nearly 50 percent of Americans over the age of 4 drink sugary beverages on any given day, including soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices and presweetened iced teas.

Data from a large federal study further indicates that Americans drink nearly one-fourth of their total calories each day, mostly in the form of soft drinks. More than one-third of all the added sugars Americans consume come from soft drinks.

Unsurprisingly, drinking sugary beverages was also linked with obesity.

Not only are sodas filled with calorie-laden sweeteners -- one can of Coke contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar -- but most people do not compensate for drinking those calories by eating less, because liquid calories simply do not provide the same feeling of fullness as solid foods.

The average American drinks nearly 54 gallons of soft drinks each year, or more than a gallon each week.